“Where are you taking me?”
“To your room, my lady.”
Chapter 11
Maggie woke the next morning with her stomach rumbling. It was a strange feeling. For the first time in her life, she felt like her body had all it needed, but she was hungry at the same time.
Max.
Smiling, she rolled over and met Shep, who got up from his pillow, stretched and moved to the bottom of the bed. It was the first time she had seen him wear a look of disgust on his face, which made her laugh. “You must not be cross with me, Shep. If it was not for Max, neither of us would have this moment. He had much to do with saving you from that carriage.” Shep arched an eye, then closed them both. He was clearly not willing to forgive her, unimpressed, or both.
She could not help her joy. Despite the pain and ugliness of reliving her parents’ and brother’s deaths, she felt a glimmer of hope inside. Though she and Max had missed dinner, they had crossed a line they had never spanned before, and nothing left her wanting. He was everything she had hoped he would be…and everything that Fergus was not. Perhaps there was a chance for them. At least she hoped so.
Harlow was to arrive today, and the two had much to discuss. Max’s kiss before he left this morning was as invigorating as the one that had landed her in bed the evening before. She hugged herself, pinching both arms as a testament she was not dreaming. There had been too many of those. This one was real.
Maggie reached for the bell and pulled. “Come on, Shep. Forgive me this one. Are you hungry?” She winked at her puppy and sat up stretching. “I need to dress, then we shall break our fast.”
Shep lifted an ear and stood at alert. He undoubtedly understood words in the English language pertaining to food or eating. It made her laugh. Typical male. Her mother had used to say that a man’s heart lay close to his stomach.
A rush of emotion flooded her heart as Maggie realized her mother’s involvement and how much her mother had done for her. “You never left me, did you, Mother?” she half whispered. “I thought I would never feel your presence again. Yet you are here.” It felt odd to acknowledge a ghost, but she knew it was her mother. “I love you, Mother. And I have missed you.”
Something touched her shoulder, and she placed her own hand over the spot. A single tear spilled from beneath a lid, and she let it roll down her cheek. The faint smell of roses comforted her. Maggie never wanted the moment to end and kept her eyes closed and tried to stay in it.
Minutes passed slowly until a sharp knock at the door drew her attention. “Come in.” She struggled to keep her tone from sounding vexed.
Lady Worsley poked her head inside the door. “Good! You are awake. I brought you a small pot of hot chocolate and a biscuit so I could make sure you put something in your stomach.”
“Mother would be happy to know you are taking such good care of me.” Maggie glanced around the room, hoping the chocolate would not overpower the smell of roses. She loved chocolate, but she wanted to hang onto her mother’s scent longer. She would say nothing to hurt Lady Worsley’s feelings.
“Max is waiting for you downstairs with Harlow. The investigators have been reporting to them. They seem to have discovered some additional things. Finish up here and join them.” Lady Worsley set the hot chocolate on the table next to the bed and pressed her lips to Maggie’s cheek. “If you do not mind, I would also like to hear what they have to say.”
“I don’t mind. Thank you for indulging me. You have been most kind. However, we do not want to wear out our welcome…”
“Pish! You are both family.” Lady Worsley squeezed her hand and smiled at the small dog. “Now,” she tutted, “I will leave you to your chocolate and see you shortly.”
Shep barked and Lady Worsley turned. “Come with me, and I will walk you to the kitchen.” The small dog glanced first at Maggie, then at Lady Worsley. He leapt off the bed and followed Max’s mother at a fast trot, making both women laugh out loud.
“Traitor,” Maggie said, smiling as Shep’s tail disappeared from view. She pulled the pink velvet chair in front of the fire to have her chocolate as Lady Worsley had suggested. Yesterday had proven stressful. She wanted to keep up her strength for the adventure today promised to be. “Mmm…a chocolate biscuit. My very favorite. I love it,” she murmured and devoured the snack.
She made quick work of the chocolate, brushed her teeth, and headed downstairs.
* * *
The breakfast conversation did nothing but frustrate Max and remind him of the difficulty of advancing his position with Meg, especially when she felt she was right. Slade and her uncle had targeted her family years before. He had pointed out all the reasons she should remove to Harlow’s estate, trying not to sound too many alarms, but he had been met with obstinance and accused of being heavy-handed by his own mother. If he was honest, he reflected, he had ordered her to go. That seemed to be the point things had broken down. His mother had jumped to her side. It became a losing battle, and he struggled to gain a footing.
“Max, you have no proof of the dangers you cite. Remember yourself, son. Vinegar does not win the friends you gain with
